Programming Leftovers
-
Buttondown ☛ Why I prefer rST to markdown
I just published a new version of Logic for Programmers! v0.2 has epub support, content on constraint solving and formal specification, and more! Get it here.
This is my second book written with Sphinx, after the new Learn TLA+. Sphinx uses a peculiar markup called reStructured Text (rST), which has a steeper learning curve than markdown. I only switched to it after writing a couple of books in markdown and deciding I needed something better. So I want to talk about why rst was that something.1
-
Dirk Eddelbuettel ☛ Dirk Eddelbuettel: RQuantLib 0.4.24 on CRAN: Robustification
A new minor release 0.4.24 of RQuantLib arrived on CRAN this afternoon (just before the CRAN summer break starting tomorrow), and has been uploaded to Debian too.
-
Qt ☛ Qt Training at Digital Hollywood University: QML, UI Development, 3D Design, and Integration with C++ for Human-Machine Interfaces
Qt Group is collaborating with various universities in effort to train the next generation of Qt talent. We believe that, by working together with universities and educators, we can create meaningful learning experiences and connections for students pursuing successful careers in software development.
-
Tantek Çelik: Choosing Tools
One of the biggest challenges with tools for making things, even specific to making web things, is there are so many tools to choose from. Nearly every tool has a learning curve to overcome before being able to use it efficiently. With proficiency, comes the ability to pursue more efficient use of tools, and find limitations, papercuts, or outright bugs in the tools. If it’s an open source tool or you know its creator you can file or submit a bug report or feature request accordingly, which might result in an improved tool, eventually, or not. You have to decide whether any such tool is good enough, with tolerable faults, or if they’re bad enough to consider switching tools, or so bad that you are compelled to make your own. This post is my entry for the 2024 July IndieWeb Carnival theme of tools, hosted by James G., and also syndicated to IndieNews. -
Rust
-
KDAB ☛ More Ways to Rust
In our earlier blog, The Smarter Way to Rust, we discuss why a blend of C++ and Rust is sometimes the best solution to building robust applications. But when you’re merging these two languages, it’s critical to keep in mind that the transition from C++ to Rust isn’t about syntax, it’s about philosophy.
Adapting to Rust’s world view
If you’re an experienced C++ developer who is new to Rust, it’s only natural to use the same patterns and approaches that have served you well before. But problem-solving in Rust requires a solid understanding of strict ownership rules, a new concurrency model, and differences in the meaning of “undefined” code. To prevent errors arising from an overconfident application of instinctual C++ solutions that don’t align with Rust’s idioms, it’s a good idea to start by tackling non-critical areas of code. This can give you room to explore Rust’s features without the pressure of potentially bringing critical systems crashing down.
-